


Finding Me Looking For You

by TwistedPeppermint



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-07 14:04:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5459120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedPeppermint/pseuds/TwistedPeppermint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi's training before Isabel and Farlan passed away was a lot more complicated than just a few mishaps and coincidences. Erwin thinks he could use some personal training and Levi thinks he can **** off. Goes along with the original story until a certain point, like the original but with more detail and scenes....oh and Kenny, Kenny happens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This Ain't a Scene It's a Goddamn Arms Race

How easily he’d been caught. It would have disgusted him had it not been his intention. Now here he was on his knees no less, in front of the smug man who’d brought a blade to a knife show. He swore he’d make the blonde man regret that half smile he was wearing if it was the last thing he did. “I’ll ask a few questions” the man said holding up one of the sets of 3D maneuver gear they’d stolen. “Where did you get this?” he inquired. 

Levi remained quiet and as expected so did Isabel and Farlan. They knew better than to run their mouths. The blonde man moved on unphased. “You guys are skilled with 3D maneuver gear” he mentioned “Who taught you all that” he asked. He was met only with more silence. He gave a small sigh before walking to stand right in front of Levi looking down at him. “You’re their leader right?” he insisted. “Were you trained in the military?” he questioned. Levi just glanced up at him with a disgusted look. As if he was answer any questions this man had.

After a moment of silence he heard movement behind him and his hair was grabbed by the man who’d cuffed him, his face was shoved down into the puddle in front of him. Isabel gave a small protest but the blond man ignored it. “I’ll ask one more time” he warned. “Where did you learn to use 3D maneuver gear?”. Levi had to grit his teeth to keep from saying things that could lead to trouble. He was going to respond with wit but Farlan decided now was a good time to screw it up.

“Not from anyone! We learnt it by ourselves!” Farlan stammered. The man seemed piqued with interest at the little tid bit. “Self taught, you say? I don’t buy it” he retorted arrogantly. Levi could feel a twitch in his eye at that. Farlan was the first to speak though. “It’s just so we’re able to rise even a bit in this dirty garbage place! People who’re used to sunlight like you guys won’t understand!” he responded heatedly. Isabel decided to jump in too. “That’s enough! Let Bro go!” she demanded. “Don’t be cocky just because you’re soldiers!”

The blonde looked to the man behind Levi and Levi felt the grip in his hair tighten pulling him back up from the puddle. The blonde leaned down till he was just about at Levi’s level and looked him in the eyes. “My name is Erwin Smith. And yours is?” He asked towards Levi. Levi just stared back contemplating spitting at him but he figured it would only make this process harder. “Levi” he said with enough contempt to drown a horse. 

“Levi” Erwin said. Levi didn’t like the way his name sounded coming out of his mouth. “Why don’t we make a deal?” He asked. This was what Levi had been waiting for. “A deal?” Levi questioned. “I will let your crimes go unpunished. In return, lend me your strength. Join the Survey Corps” Erwin responded. “And if I refuse?” Levi inquired. “The military police will have you” Erwin jested rising from the ground to stare down at Levi once more. “ Considering your crimes, you and your friends, won’t be treated very nicely” he acknowledged. 

Erwin walked a length away before turning back to him. “Choose whichever you prefer” he finished. Levi stared at him hard and even with the water of the puddle still riddling on his tongue, the pain his knees and the pounding in his head he didn’t regret his answer. “Fine. I’ll join the Survey Corps” he responded. Erwin broke out a small smile at that nodding to the man behind them who began to help Farlan and Isabel stand. 

“Good we can agree on something” Erwin said coming forward as Levi was pulled up. “If you're going I am too” Farlan argued. “Me too!” Isabel shouted. Levi glared back at them ready to chastise but Erwin spoke first. “That was implied children” he mentioned. Levi whipped his head around to glare at Erwin instead. “That wasn’t part of the deal!” he said enraged. Not that it was real but it had to be believable. Erwin raised a brow at that. “Is it going to be a problem? If you prefer I can have them sent to the military police instead. For safe keeping in the case you decide to act up.” Levi narrowed his eyes but huffed after a moment shaking his head. 

“Come” Erwin said with a confident and commanding tone waving Levi over. Levi stayed where he was. No man alive could make him obey by calling him like a dog. Erwin waited a few moments before coming back to him and grabbing the cuffs turning Levi around. “What…?” Levi couldn’t finish the sentence before Erwin had one of the cuffs undone and brought Levi’s wrists forward, wrapping his arms around Levi to keep him from running and clipped it in the front. Levi looked down at it with a glare before looking up at Erwin who had yet to let him go.

He was starting to feel claustrophobic when a click registered in his hearing and he looked down to see the grapple of Erwin’s 3D Maneuvering gear wrapped firmly around the cuffs. Levi looked up in confusion but Erwin was no longer concerned with him as he walked. Levi stood dumb founded until the rope snapped taut and he was pulled along by the other end in Erwin’s hand. He was too annoyed and lost to react. 

“BRO!” Isabel called. Levi looked back to see Farlan and her being dragged in the opposite direction. He snapped his head back to glare at Erwin and dug his heels in trying to get the other to stop but it barely slowed the much larger man. “Wait where are you taking them?!” he asked as he narrowed his eyes before sitting down. Erwin looked back seeming amused as he stopped in his tracks. “They’re going to get signed up for the Survey Corps just as you all agreed. Now get up or I’m going to carry you and don’t think that’s an idle threat Levi because it isn’t”. 

Levi stared into Erwin’s eyes and he knew it couldn’t be a lie. He would honest to god carry Levi wherever they were going and if Levi had one pet peeve besides dirty places, it was being carried around. He slowly rose from the ground and when Erwin was sure he’d follow, he started walking again. “So, where are we going?” Levi asked after a while. Erwin gave a small chuckle at that. “You’ll find out” he replied to Levi’s annoyance.  
.  
.  
.  
The first thing Levi did when he got to the base Erwin had lead him too, was to ask begrudgingly if he could take a shower. It wasn’t appealing to him that he was pretty much begging but it spiked his excitement that he had a chance to clean the filth of the streets off of himself. Besides these shower things he’d heard about sounded mesmerizing. The feel of rain while getting cleaned up? Yes please.

Erwin agreed and Levi, after messing with the controls to get it to work, refusing to go to Erwin for help and risk embarrassing himself, enjoyed a long shower. He dried off with fluffy, spotless towels and slipped into a pair of dark flexible pants and a long sleeved sweater before heading to dinner as Erwin had requested. He didn’t necessarily like throwing away his dirty clothes for some reason but Erwin promised he’d be provided with a shiny new uniform unsullied by the effects of the world’s elements so he agreed.

Dinner itself was more so than expected. Erwin ate with him and it made him uncomfortable to say the least as he avoided the others eyes. After a while he started to get annoyed and looked up with a questioning glare. “What?!” he demanded. Erwin looked at his plate, then Levi’s which still held most of it earlier contents. “You haven’t eaten much” he said simply. Levi pushed the plate away. “I’m not used to so much” he answered and Erwin hummed in understanding. 

“Head to bed then, the room you took a shower in earlier belongs to you. Your uniform should be there in the top drawer. You’ll be awoken tomorrow for a meeting. I expect you ready ten minutes after your woken”. Levi hesitated at that, having been ready to get up and Erwin seemed to notice. “Will that be a problem?” he asked. “No” Levi snapped angrily getting up to leave but Erwin cleared his throat and he huffed looking at him with bored eyes. “What is then?” Erwin inquired. “I don’t sleep…well” Levi mumbled. Erwin looked surprised at that but nodded. “Try your best” he commented before waving to Levi that he was dismissed.  
.  
.  
Even as Levi was steadily slipping into dream land, Erwin stayed by the door. He knew he was getting into a lot taking Levi under his wing. He was still worried about the Military Police trying to get their hands on him. Erwin wasn’t about to let that happen though. Training Isabel and Farlan would be easy if they were kept apart from Levi. It was simple psychology, without a leader they needed to replace him to function mentally even if they weren’t aware of it. Levi was another story though. He knew how to act independently, and he was smart as well as fast. It would take some serious one on one training and discipline. 

Erwin stood contemplating it silently until Levi shifted and let out a loud groan. At first he though Levi had woken up and retracted back to the shadow of the doorway but the longer he stayed there the more violent Levi’s thrashing got. He could faintly hear Levi panting for breath and mumbling to himself. He approached the bed slowly so as not to scare Levi awake. He tried to listen as hard as he could. If Levi revealed anything it would be useful. 

At first it was random murmurs, something about the color blue and with Levi thrashing around like a dying fish he couldn’t hear the rest. The longer he stood there though the more he could make out. “Where…going…Kenny?” “Get out…..Get out…Get out….GET OUT!” Levi yelled frightening himself awake. He seemed only half aware of his surroundings so Erwin took the chance to quickly leave the room under the aid of the shadows. 

He could hear from out in the hall that Levi was trying to catch his breath, trying to calm down. Levi’s erratic breathing soon turned to gentle huffs and he could hear Levi shuffling around. “Dammit” the new recruit whispered. Other than that Erwin couldn’t hear any movements or commentary and decided to call it a night.  
He quietly slipped down the hall heading back to his room with an unreadable expression. ‘This Kenny person….I will need to look into Levi tomorrow, after training’ he thought to himself. ‘It may be the only way to get under his skin’.


	2. Testing Waters

The morning really had come too fast for Erwin. It was hard enough to get out of bed and dressed, let alone get Levi to comply with putting on the uniform. A good ten minutes of arguing, useless empty threats and the promise of letting him see Isabel and Farlan was the only way Levi even considered it. To Erwin’s surprise Levi agreed to wear the ‘dingy’ uniform if and only if he could wash his own clothes from now on. It was an absurd request but if it got the stubborn recruit in the uniform Erwin would give it a chance.

“Are you going to fight with me over breakfast too or will you go eat on your own? I’m not into force feeding and I feel like you bite” he mentioned as Levi came out of his room. Levi said nothing to that just walking to the dining room. Erwin figured he could leave Levi alone for five minutes without to many repercussions and headed for his office. He still had papers to finish before the end of the day. He figured doing them in small snippets would be easier.

The moment he stepped into his office he could hear arguing. A younger voice and one not much older but more refined with words. He walked in to see Farlan and one of the newer squad leaders yelling at each other. “What’s the problem?” He asked. The squad leader turned to Erwin his nose in the air and his arms crossed. “There was a young woman in his bed this morning, not only did she refuse to leave but followed the scolding with obscene gestures and ignored my attempts to bring her here!” he complained.

Erwin looked to Farlan for an explanation. “Isabel I presume?” Farlan nodded and shrugged with a less than concerned look on his face. “I’ll handle this” Erwin huffed at the younger leader who promptly left. “She’s not used to other people” Farlan began “Especially other girls, she thinks their annoying. I don’t appreciate her sleeping away from me either, nor do I appreciate being separated from Levi but I figured he’d find his way to us”. 

Erwin sighed as he came to his desk to sit down. “Listen Farlan you may be training to be soldiers now but that doesn’t erase your past. You three are walking on egg shells right now and I’m doing what I can to keep you out of trouble. The problem is you’re blowing up everything I do. I’ll see what I can do about keeping you two together as much as possible but Levi stays here.”

Farlan seemed to be mulling that over but he shook his head. “Without Levi there’s no way Isabel will listen to anyone, even myself. She gets antsy if we aren’t around her and that leads to trouble. Even Levi and I have our quirks when were separate. I guess he hasn’t been sleeping to well. Moderately at best. The longer you keep us apart the worse we’ll get Smith” Farlan warned, his tone taking on a toying edge. “I will put it this way Farlan” Erwin said now close to the end of his rope. “If you behave yourself, listen to your commanding officers, follow the training program and stay out of trouble you have a chance of seeing Levi and Isabel can stay with you. If you don’t I guarantee you won’t be seeing Levi or Isabel at all. Are we reaching and understanding or do I have to make it clearer for you?” Farlan scoffed at that but reluctantly nodded his head. “You’re dismissed” Erwin finished.

“There’s something you need to understand as well” Farlan responded testily. Erwin looked up at that surprised by the change in Farlan’s tone. “Levi doesn’t do well with cages, if you keep him in here to long without me, without Isabel, he will turn on you. You don’t know him at all, and there are parts of Levi that you would never understand without our help and from what I gather that’s what you want. You’ll never get to Levi without us” He said confidently. 

As much as the words interested Erwin they also infuriated him. It was true. Without Isabel and Farlan Levi acted like a rabid dog, fine until you tried to pet him and he tore into you like a birthday present. Erwin considered the facts and sighed. “You’ll see him at lunch, training and occasionally during the evening. That’s it for now. In return though I need to know a few things”. Farlan seemed to consider that and he smiled. “What do you want to know?”  
.  
.  
After some time Erwin left his office loaded with a few important pieces of information. Levi was a clean freak, it stressed him out to be around anything dirty. That explained the clothes washing situation... Levi also liked more fresh produce and tea than heavy drinks and foods. That covered the disgust at the food presented to him at last night’s dinner. Lastly Levi was an insomniac, why he couldn’t get to sleep was still a mystery but Erwin knew not to push the subject anymore if he wanted things to go smoothly with Levi. 

He walked in to see Levi poking his eggs disinterestedly with a fork. “We have less savory options if you prefer. Apples, pears, anything grown on a tree” Erwin offered. Levi seemed disinterested and more irritated than yesterday. “We have tea too” he mentioned. That seemed to catch Levi’s attention but Erwin didn’t react. If he wanted something Levi was going to have to learn to drop the pride act and ask for it. It took a few minutes but eventually Erwin got what he wanted...sort of. “What kind of tea?” Levi questioned. Erwin would take it reminding himself he needed to take baby steps. 

“Lemon” Erwin responded and started to brew it. Levi didn’t give him a response and seemed absorbed in his own thoughts. Erwin sat back contemplating how to handle the other steps with Levi. Getting his respect even if it happened to be fake, was the largest one to take but in between that smaller steps were required. He needed to get to Levi and as Farlan had so rudely reminded him, without the other two Levi wasn’t going to budge for anybody. He doubted at this point he would be able to fix Levi without some give for take and some trickery. He’d figured it would be hard to whip him into shape but not this hard. 

“Would you like it if you could spend a while with Isabel and Farlan after training?” He asked grabbing the cup of tea and putting it in front of Levi. Levi nodded half mindedly grabbing the tea and taking a sip. “Of course you’ll have to behave and do well at the induction” Erwin added in. Levi gave a sound or amusement at that and Erwin found himself thinking about yesterday. He remembered he was supposed to look into Levi’s past today and Farlan had only given him facts about Levi.  
“Who’s Kenny?” Erwin questioned before he could stop himself. Levi halted putting the cup down. “Wouldn’t know, a figment of your deluded imagination?” he suggested. He was deflecting and Erwin wasn’t going to back down on this. “You’re a great fighter Levi but you’re terrible at lying." Levi looked less than pleased at that stirring his tea. “And your terrible at minding your own business Erwin” Levi retorted putting a rude emphasis on Erwin’s name. 

Erwin sighed through his nose as he sat down across from Levi. “Listen Levi, if you want a little leeway and more time to see Farlan and Isabel you’re going to have to give me something." “I’ll give you a tip. Your base is beyond disgusting and your staff is just as annoying. You want us to cooperate but remember we aren’t here by choice. If you want me to ‘give you something’ besides a swift kick in the ass you’ll look into it” Levi responded getting up quickly to leave.

“Levi!” Erwin commanded but Levi was already down the hall and Erwin could hear a slamming door after a moment. Well that didn’t work out the way he planned. He figured or at least hoped Levi was headed to the induction and he figured he should get ready too. “Trouble in paradise?” A familiar voice asked from behind. He turned to give a bored stare to the hooded figure across from him. “None that concerns you? Is it on its way?” Erwin asked. “Of course it is, just keep your new pets in the cage a little longer, especially the ring leader. He’s got it out for you” the other warned. Erwin smiled at that as he took a last sip of the coffee he’d made himself. “Don’t I know it.”  
.  
.  
The induction itself was brief, a few words, Levi acting like Levi and the others trying to cover him for it. They didn’t even make it to training today as none the squad leaders had recovered from their last expedition enough to train anyone. Levi did a quick run on fake titans and made a fool of a few experienced soldiers but he didn’t pride himself on it. He seemed more concerned about getting back to Farlan and Isabel.

Erwin figured the sooner he let Levi have a break with them the better for everyone. ‘How about we go see your friends?” Erwin offered as they headed back towards the base. Levi didn’t say anything but he looked expectant. Erwin changed course towards the mess hall and Levi followed faster than normal. Maybe Farlan was right. To get to Levi, Erwin would actually have to use them instead of shutting them out.

The second they stepped foot onto the lot that contained the mess hall, Erwin heard running. It was fast approaching and before he could make her out Isabel flew past him. It was like the girl had known Levi would be coming. “Bro!” she screeched and she ran up unabashed to hug Levi. Erwin expected him to get angry but Levi only stood there accepting it. Farlan smiled as he walked up to meet them and clap Levi on the shoulder. They exchanged whispers Erwin couldn’t hear and Levi seemed to relax even if just a fraction. 

“Come on I’m starved!” Isabel ranted pulling on Levi’s arm and Levi looked back at Erwin. Erwin stood there confused for a moment before he contemplated what was happening and it blew him away. Levi was asking permission to leave him. He merely nodded his consent but on the inside he was having a happy fit. It was the smallest milestone in the universe but a milestone none the less!

Together the trio walked into the mess hall as Isabel ranted and Farlan and Levi listened intently. Erwin decided to follow just to observe how differently Levi acted with them. First off he didn’t seem to be so agitated by everything. Where most would find Isabel annoying the boys treated her like siblings would treat a younger sister. That’s how they seemed to function anyways, as a family. The boys themselves spoke causally, and cracked low blowing jokes at each other. Once in a while Isabel would cut in and immediately get shot down to the other two friends amusement. They acted almost normal. 

Erwin’s stood back contemplating it as he came to a few realizations. Around others Levi may be harsh and distant with others but with Farlan and Isabel he was calm. As calm as the tight strung recruit could manage anyways. He was still rude with them but it was more on the endearing side compared to the abrasive tone he took with everyone else. Levi…was a social creature. 

That’s what Farlan was trying to tell him in the office. Without Farlan and Isabel he’d be alone. In turn that loneliness Erwin guessed turned to the bitterness that was always directed at him and the rest of the Corps. Levi was in a new place, dealing with new concepts and all with his friends’ only feet away and unable to see them. This was an interesting development… to get to Levi he was going to need to use Farlan and Isabel instead of shutting him away from them. And now that he had that under wraps Erwin was starting to form a plan.


End file.
